The White Lotus Teachings in Chinese Religious History
Abstract
This book provides a new hypothesis for understanding the real nature of the term White Lotus Teachings. The author argues that there are actually two different phenomena covered by similar terms: from c. 1130 until 1400, a real lay Buddhist movement existed, which can be called the White Lotus movement. It enjoyed the respect of contemporary literati and religious elites. The movement used the autonym White Lotus Society, which came to be prohibited in the early Ming and was discarded as a result. After 1525, the name reappeared in the form White Lotus Teachings, but now only as a derogatory label, used by officials and literati rather than by believers themselves. As a result of this hypothesis, the history of the "White Lotus Teachings" changes from one of religious groups and magicians into one of elite ideology and religious persecution. The book is therefore important both for historians and anthropologists of Chinese religion and society, and for comparative historians interested in the ideological and social construction of "heterodoxy".
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Both Baozhi and Sengqie were closely associated with Guanyin.
“Both Baozhi and Sengqie were also closely associated with Guanyin. 44”
From The <i>Sutra of the Five Lords</i> : Manuscript and oral tradition (2015) · cites this paper as [44]
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- Authors
- ter Haar, B.
- Venue
- BRILL eBooks
- Publisher
- BRILL
- Published
- 1992-01-01
- OpenAlex
- W2037432765
- Cited by
- 236
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 6 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 2.31
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- BRILL eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Chinese history and philosophy
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Religious studies › Indian and Buddhist Studies
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Study and Philosophy of Religion
- Keywords
- Chinese religious history, heterodoxy, religious persecution, elite ideology, Ming dynasty, literati, social construction of religion, Chinese Buddhism
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